William t



(No Model.)

' W. T. TAGGART.

PIPE COUPLING,

No. 409,127. PatentedAug l3, 1889.

i2 W ll i I i In WITNESSES.

Wain/L74? u, vcrzns. mmum vm. Wuhinglon. n.c.

UNITED STATES V PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM. T. TAGGART, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD GAR HEATING AND VENTILATING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PIPE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,127, dated August 13, 1889.

Application filed January 10, 1889. Serial No. 295,995- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, WILLIAM T. TAGGART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Couplings, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to IO certain improvements in couplings employed in what is termed the continuous system of heating cars for uniting the steam-pipes 011 adjacent cars. It is an essential characteristic of couplings for this purpose that they I 5 should be capable not only of being quickly and easily connected, but also of being uncoupled automatically in case of accidental separation of the cars.

The purpose of my invention is to'adapt the coupling described and claimed in reissued Letters Patent No. 8,291, granted to George \Vestinghouse, Jr., for use in the continuous-steam-heating system; and in general terms the invention consists in the construc- 2 5 tion and combination of mechanical devices, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatiomFigure 1 is a side elevation of the two parts of the coupling when united. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, the section being taken in the line a: 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4 is an end elevation, of one part or member of the coupling. 3 5 In the practice of my invention each half of the coupling consists of a shell or box 1, closed on one side by an externally-threaded cap 2. The opposite side is partially closed by an annular plug 3, externally threaded 0 and provided with a shoulder 4:, adapted to fit a corresponding recess in the edge of shell or box 1, and thereby forming a tight joint with the shell. The plug is provided with lugs 5 on its under side for engagement with asuitable Wrench. The axial opening through the plug 3 permits communication with the opposite half-coupling, and in order to prevent any lateral escape of the steam between the two parts or members of the coupling the axial openings in the plug of each part or member is surrounded by a packing-ring 6, of any suitable material which will not be injuriously affected by steam or hot air. This packing-ring 6 is arranged in a recess formed in the outer face of the plug and held therein by forcing the metal of the outer walls against the ring 6, whose outer face projects somewhat above the level of the face of the plug.

On the outer end of each shell or box is formed a'ihpok 7, constructed, when the parts or'membei s are coupled, to engage a hook on the other member of the coupling, said hook being formed of a spring-leaf 8, secured at one end to the under side of the flange 9, formed on the shell or box at the side of the axial opening opposite the hook 7. The spring or yielding hook 8 serves not only to engage the hook 7 to prevent the longitudinal disengagement of the two parts or members, but also serves to force and hold the adjacent faces of the packin g-rin gs in contact with each other with a yielding pressure, as will be readily understood.

The couplings are united bya rotary movement of each on the axis of the opening in the 7 5 plug. The parts or members are brought together with their openings coinciding, the hooks 7 and 8 on one member projecting past the hooks S and 7, respectively, of the other member, and then as each hook is curved in the direction of its length to the proper radius the couplings are rotated, the hooks engaging each other until each hook 7 comes in contact with a stop 10.

If desired, the power of the spring-hooks 8 in holding the packing-rings together may be increased by interposing a spiral spring 11 between the free ends of said hooks-and the flanges 9, and preferably surrounding the stop or pin 10, as shown in Fig. 4c. 0

The shell or box is provided with a thimble 12 for connection by means of hose-sections with the pipes of the cars.

I claim herein as my invention-- 1. In a pair of couplings having lateral 5 openings, the combination of engaging-hooks formed 011 each member, one of the hooks 011 each member being rigid and the other hook constructed to have a spring or yielding engagement with the rigid hook of the other member, the resilience of the spring being at right angles to the faces of the couplings, substantially as set forth.

In a pair of couplings having lateral openings, the combination of engaging-hooks formed on each member, one of the hooks on each member being formed of springdeaf and re-enforein g springs, substantially as set forth.

3. In a pair of couplings having lateral 1o openings, said openings being surrounded by an unyielding packing, the combination of engaging-hooks formed on each member, one of said hooks being constructed to exert a yielding pressure, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15 my hand.

WILLIAM T. TAGGART. \Vitnesses:

DARWIN WoLCo'rT, H. II. WHIT'rLEsEY. 

